University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College
North Little Rock, AR
Certified Nursing Assistant
- Duration:
- 8 weeks
CNA Classes in Arkansas
12 state-approved Certified Nurse Aide training programs across 7 cities in Arkansas. Arkansas requires 90 hours minimum of training, with the competency exam administered by D&SDT-Headmaster (TestMaster Universe / TMU).
Training Hours
90 hours minimum
Federal minimum: 75h
Exam Vendor
D&SDT-Headmaster (TestMaster Universe / TMU)
$125 total ($30 written or oral knowledge exam + $95 clinical skills evaluation) through D&SDT-Headmaster; Arkansas DHS pays the testing fee for candidates employed by Medicaid-certified facilities
Time to Certify
8-12 weeks
Minimum Age
16
Cost: $600-$1,400
What makes Arkansas different: Arkansas requires 90 hours of training — 15 hours above the federal minimum — and runs its entire registry and testing operation through D&SDT-Headmaster's TMU platform rather than a Prometric or Credentia system.
CNA Classes by City in Arkansas
Becoming a CNA in Arkansas
Arkansas CNA training and certification are regulated by the Office of Long Term Care (OLTC), a division of the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Unlike most surrounding states, Arkansas requires 90 hours of state-approved training — 15 hours above the federal OBRA-87 minimum — to reflect the state's emphasis on long-term care competency. The OLTC partners with D&SDT-Headmaster (often shortened to 'Headmaster' or 'TMU') to administer the written and skills competency exam and to maintain the public Nurse Aide Registry.
The Arkansas pathway has a distinctive structure: the first 16 hours of every approved program serve as a state-mandated orientation in communication, infection control, residents' rights, and emergency procedures, and students may not touch patients until those 16 hours are complete. After orientation, candidates complete 74 hours of classroom and lab plus 16 hours of supervised clinical at a long-term care facility, skilled nursing unit, rehab unit, or inpatient hospice. Once approved, the candidate has 12 months to pass the Headmaster exam — a tighter window than the 24 months most states allow.
Arkansas CNAs work primarily in long-term care, but the credential is also recognized by hospitals, home health agencies, hospice programs, and assisted living communities across the state. Demand is particularly strong in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and the Delta region, where many nursing facilities offer free training in exchange for a 12-month employment commitment. Reciprocity into Arkansas is straightforward for CNAs who completed at least 90 hours of training elsewhere and are in good standing on another state's registry.
How to Become a CNA in Arkansas
- 1
Confirm you meet Arkansas eligibility
Before enrolling, confirm you have no disqualifying criminal record or maltreatment registry findings. The Arkansas Office of Long Term Care reviews state and FBI fingerprint results, the Adult and Child Maltreatment Central Registries, and the OIG List of Excluded Individuals. You must also be able to read, write, and speak English at a level sufficient to provide safe resident care, and pass a TB screening before clinicals.
- 2
Enroll in an OLTC-approved 90-hour training program
Arkansas requires a state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) of at least 90 hours — 15 hours more than the federal floor. Approved programs are offered through community colleges, vocational-technical centers, the American Red Cross, and many nursing facilities that sponsor free training. The Office of Long Term Care publishes the current list of approved programs at humanservices.arkansas.gov.
- 3
Complete classroom, lab, and 16 hours of supervised clinical
The Arkansas curriculum requires 74 hours of classroom theory and skills lab plus 16 hours of supervised clinical instruction in a long-term care facility, skilled nursing unit, rehabilitation unit inside an acute care facility, or inpatient hospice unit. Students complete a 16-hour orientation covering communication, infection control, residents' rights, and emergency procedures before any direct resident contact — Arkansas rules forbid students from touching patients before this orientation is finished.
- 4
Register for the Headmaster TMU competency exam
Headmaster (D&SDT) administers Arkansas's competency exam through its TMU (TestMaster Universe) online system. Your training program enters your completion data into TMU, and you then create a candidate account at ar.tmuniverse.com to schedule both the written and skills portions. Most candidates can choose between paper-and-pencil written testing at Regional Test Sites (often inside the school where you trained) or computer-based testing at a Headmaster center.
- 5
Pass the written and skills evaluations within 12 months
The written exam contains 60 multiple-choice questions and must be completed within 90 minutes; you must score 75% or higher. The skills test requires you to demonstrate 5 randomly selected nurse aide skills (always including hand hygiene) for an evaluator. Arkansas allows three attempts at each portion within 12 months of training completion — if you do not pass within that window, you must retake the full 90-hour course.
- 6
Be added to the Arkansas Nurse Aide Registry
Once Headmaster reports passing scores to the Office of Long Term Care, your name is automatically added to the Arkansas Nurse Aide Registry — no separate application is required. The registry record includes your name, certification date, expiration date, and any substantiated findings. You can verify your own listing immediately at ar.tmutest.com/search.
- 7
Renew every 24 months with at least 8 hours of paid work
Arkansas CNA certification must be maintained on a 24-month cycle. You must document at least 8 hours of paid nursing services for compensation under the supervision of a licensed nurse during each 24-month period to remain active. There is no renewal fee, but if your registry status lapses you must retake both the 90-hour course and the Headmaster exam before returning to work.
All CNA Programs in Arkansas (12)
Arkansas State University-Newport Jonesboro Campus
Jonesboro, AR
Certified Nursing Assistant
- Duration:
- 8 weeks
PAL CNA Training Academy
Little Rock, AR
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Duration:
- 90 hours (74 classroom/skills + 16 clinical)
- Cost:
- $850 total
Aspiring Medical Training Institute
Little Rock, AR
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Duration:
- 90 hours (74 theory/skills + 16 clinical)
UAMS Caregiving Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Duration:
- 91-hour Fast Track CNA course
Philander Smith University CNA Program
Little Rock, AR
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Duration:
- 8 weeks, 104.5 contact hours
- Cost:
- $1,350 program charges + $100 application fee
Frequently Asked Questions: CNA Training in Arkansas
How long is Arkansas CNA training?
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Arkansas requires a minimum of 90 hours of state-approved training — 15 hours more than the federal 75-hour floor. Programs combine 74 hours of classroom theory and skills lab with 16 hours of supervised clinical instruction in a long-term care facility, skilled nursing unit, rehab unit, or inpatient hospice. Full-time programs at Arkansas community colleges and vo-tech centers typically run 4-6 weeks, while part-time evening programs can take 8-12 weeks.
Who administers the CNA exam in Arkansas?
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The Office of Long Term Care contracts with D&SDT-Headmaster, often shortened to 'Headmaster' or 'TMU' (TestMaster Universe). Both the written and skills portions are scheduled and delivered through Headmaster's online TMU platform at ar.tmuniverse.com. Most candidates test at a Regional Test Site (often the school where they trained), though Headmaster also operates standalone computer-based testing centers in larger Arkansas cities.
How much does the Arkansas CNA exam cost?
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Total exam cost is roughly $93 — approximately $35 for the written portion and $58 for the skills evaluation. These prices are set by D&SDT-Headmaster under contract with the Office of Long Term Care and can change; verify the current published fee in the Arkansas CNA Candidate Handbook at hdmaster.com or by calling Headmaster at (888) 401-0462. The Office of Long Term Care itself does not charge a separate application fee.
How quickly must I take the CNA exam after training?
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Arkansas gives you 12 months from the date of training completion to pass both the written and skills portions of the Headmaster exam. You are allowed three attempts at each section within that window. If you fail to pass within 12 months or exhaust your three attempts, you must retake the full 90-hour OLTC-approved training program before re-testing.
Can I transfer an out-of-state CNA license to Arkansas?
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Yes. CNAs who are currently active and in good standing on another state's registry can apply for reciprocity using the Out-of-State Reciprocity Form 9110AR, which is submitted to the Office of Long Term Care with a $25 processing fee. Your original training program must have been at least 90 hours, you must have completed a competency exam similar to Arkansas's, and you cannot have any substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation. The OLTC verifies your status at all listed registries before adding you to ARNAR.
What's required to keep my Arkansas CNA license active?
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You must document at least 8 hours of paid nursing services for compensation under the supervision of a licensed nurse during every 24-month period. Volunteer or unpaid family caregiving hours do not count. There is no renewal fee, and your employer typically reports your work hours to OLTC. If your registry status lapses, you must retake the full 90-hour training program and pass the Headmaster exam again before returning to work as a CNA in Arkansas.